GET POWERFUL HEALTH INSIGHTS – Qardio App has more features and unique properties that any other health app so you get deeper, more actionable insights into your health. QardioArm is faster. It took 30 seconds to complete a BP measurement, compared to 50 seconds for the Omron 10. The other smart blood pressure monitor I feel is worth mentioning is the Omron 10 Series, which admittedly falls more on the style spectrum of a medical device than a smartphone. For a little less money than the QardioArm, the Omron 10 Series offers both connected and standalone blood pressure readouts, meaning you can use the device without having to pair it with your smartphone. The Bottom Line

My running joke about blood pressure is that I know mine is relatively low, but I have no idea what the numbers are or what they mean. It could be a hundred five-ity seven over four for all I know. A new at-home blood pressure monitor QardioArm makes it easy to both take and understand your blood pressure. BP and pulse data can be viewed in tabular or graphic formats and can be synched with the Apple Health App: If those numbers don't mean anything to you, swipe the app right to left, and a much more comprehensible chart appears mapping your blood pressure onto a color-coded graph. For this visualization alone, the app has been immensely valuable to me already. Upon opening the app to take a blood pressure reading, you are brought right to the start screen to begin taking a measurement. You couldn’t ask for a more simple user experience, really. It is for these reasons that I hold the Qardio app in high regard as well. How Much Does The QardioArm Cost And How Does It Compare To The Competition?I took my own BP with the QardioArm on the left arm and the Omron 10 on the right arm. Multiple simultaneous measurements showed less than 3 mmHg difference in systolic blood pressure between the two. Size of your arm: What's a good fit, cuff-wise, for a larger arm might not be the best fit for a smaller arm, and vice versa. The first thing that came to my mind upon opening up and taking a first look at the QardioArm was just how nice and inconspicuous it looked. Unlike the clunky, old fashioned straps we’re used to from the doctor’s office, the QardioArm is thoughtfully designed, looking more like a smartphone than a medical device. For those that feel self-conscious about bringing their blood pressure monitor out and about with them, this is great! Fit the QardioArm snuggly in place; not too tight.Rest your arm on a flat surface, for example on a table, with your palm facing upward; QardioArm should be at the same height as your heart.

One issue some users may have is that Qardio's app and device isn't compatible with Microsoft HealthVault and some other platforms you might use to log your other health and medical statistics. With HealthVault, you can always type in a blood pressure and pulse reading, but it won't import automatically, the way it can with the Withings Blood Pressure Monitor. Once you understand how the device works it is a breeze to use. However, if you are inclined, like me, to skip reading the instruction manual, you run the risk of being incredibly frustrated. My latest book is The Everything Guide to Remote Work, which goes into great detail about a subject that I've been covering as a writer and participating in personally since well before the COVID-19 pandemic. An easy, accurate and efficient way to record BPs at home, and transmit to the doctor, is my Holy Grail for management of hypertension; QardioArm offers to improve on this process compared to more conventional home BP cuffs. I specialize in apps for productivity and collaboration, including project management software. I also test and analyze online learning services, particularly for learning languages.Place of measurement: Right now the AHA doesn't recommend devices that measure blood pressure from the wrist or finger, because the readings may be less reliable than ones that come from the arm. When you slide the band onto your upper arm and secure it, all you really have to do is sit still while the app and device take your reading. A large Start button in the app sends the go-ahead to the QardioArm via Bluetooth. You'll hear the device whir into motion and feel the pressure increase. On the screen, you see spaces for your systolic and diastolic readings, as well as pulse (heart rate). The reading takes less than 30 seconds, and your results appear instantly.

GET MEDICALLY PRECISE MEASUREMENTS – Qardio devices are clinically validated so you and your doctor can trust the results. BPs are immediately available on my iPhone with QardioArm, whereas a separate Bluetooth synching process is required for the Omron App. This process never works well for me, as the Omron fails to transmit measurements reliably. Smart blood pressure cuffs like the QardioArm are simple enough, but what about their corresponding apps? What good is a well-built smart blood pressure monitor if the app is a confusing mess? Not that "cool-looking" should be your priority when shopping for a blood pressure machine, but it certainly makes home monitoring feel like less of a chore than it otherwise might be when you're working on preventing hypertension or managing heart disease. But on to the things that actually matter...

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The device turns off “after a few minutes” if not used. You won’t know if it is on or off. If it doesn’t respond when you trigger it from the App, you must carefully rewrap the cuff and then unwrap it. If you don’t trigger the device properly with the magnet, it won’t wake up. Unroll the arm band. This will automatically switch on the QardioArm.Gently pull the tab, opening the arm band and slide your arm through. Now that you know how to turn the device on and have paired it with your Cardio App, put the cuff over your upper arm with the cuboid over the inner aspect of your arm, The QardioArm is a dead-simple blood pressure cuff to use and has all the features one would want from a smart blood pressure monitor. QardioArm Device Review Fortunately, the simplicity of the QardioArm’s design carries over to the accompanying Qardio app as well. To begin using the Qardio app with my QardioArm, all I had to do was install the app, register an account, and that was it basically!

Your whole family can use it, too: This digital blood pressure monitor pairs wirelessly with up to eight phones or tablets at any given time (let's see a manual blood pressure monitor do that!). Each time you use the digital monitor, the QardioArm averages three readings; monitors and detects an irregular heartbeat; and stores all your measurements and notes in Qardio's HIPAA-compliant cloud. Other heart conditions:Some devices may provide other health metrics, like pulse rate, or detect other health conditions, like irregular heartbeat. The readout from the QardioArm syncs automatically with the Qardio app, and additionally, the information can even be forwarded directly to your doctor if you would like.

Technical Specifications

The QardioArm encircling the beautiful arm of the eternal fiancee’ of the skeptical cardiologist. Note: when the cuff is wrapped around my unattractive arm, it fastens properly and does not hang down.